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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593642">mangeur d'âme</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuantumChickpea/pseuds/QuantumChickpea'>QuantumChickpea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Acceptance, Adrinette, Breaking A Curse, Creepy, Cursed!Adrien, F/M, Healing, Horror, Hurt and comfort, Love, Masquerade Ball, Pain, Reveal, Romance, Secrets, Suicidal Thoughts, True Love's Kiss, adrienette - Freeform, based on someone's dream, buttoneyed!Adrien, coming clean, curse, fakeidentity!Ladybug, nokwamis, nopowersAU, schoolevents, sporting events, stapledsmile!Adrien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:53:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,026</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuantumChickpea/pseuds/QuantumChickpea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There was this creature at night, named mangeur d'âme. He was said to have massive button eyes and a wide toothed smile that was crooked and stapled in place. The story went that he would haunt the grounds at night, looking for souls to devour to sustain himself. His mother had passed away and his father had abused him, stating that he wasn’t his son if he didn’t pretend to be happy. So when he no longer could fake a smile, his father stapled his lips into one.    </p><p>Marinette had been told this story by her best friend, Adrien Agreste, while cleaning up the venue after the events had ended. He had also told her to never go outside at night because he was afraid to lose her. She would often tell new students to never go out once the sun went down, but she rarely followed her own advice. Her motto was ‘do as I say, not as I do’ for a reason.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>mangeur d'âme</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chimpukampu/gifts">Chimpukampu</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <b> So, I drew this disturbing cursed crossover of Adrien in Coraline and that apparently spurred a dream for Chimpukampu, along with a conversation we were having. XD So, she told me her dream and this was it, basically. I embellished on it and added a few things, but it is basically all her dream. XD It sounded like a fanfic. So, here we are. hahaha That being said, it is disturbing so that is why it's rated M.</b>
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The students of the high school had been busy getting ready for the sporting events that the guys were participating in. The girls had been assigned to run the events and host it. During the events, students began to spread a rumor due to some of them going missing. It passed down and grew until it became a legend. </p><p>There was this creature at night, named mangeur d'âme. He was said to have massive button eyes and a wide toothed smile that was crooked and stapled in place. The story went that he would haunt the grounds at night, looking for souls to devour to sustain himself. His mother had passed away and his father had abused him, stating that he wasn’t his son if he didn’t pretend to be happy. So when he no longer could fake a smile, his father stapled his lips into one.    </p><p>Marinette had been told this story by her best friend, Adrien Agreste, while cleaning up the venue after the events had ended. He had also told her to never go outside at night because he was afraid to lose her. She would often tell new students to never go out once the sun went down, but she rarely followed her own advice. Her motto was ‘do as I say, not as I do’ for a reason.  </p><p>She had a very bad memory when it came to details and especially with names. She had gotten famous on <em> Instagram </em>, publishing cute stickers on the site. She hid behind the username, Ladybug, stating that she had amnesia and that was why she was so bad at remembering things. She thought that her fake condition would save her in case she forgot a fans’ name or screwed up with one of them, because she forgot details about their lives. Her fans would give her pity and some even related to her. </p><p>She hid her identity because she was scared that people would hate her when they realized she was a liar. They would detest her if they found out that she actually just had a terrible memory. </p><p>It was late at night and Marinette was sitting in her dorm room. She had been living there since freshman year, working to build up her fake identity on <em> Instagram </em>. She never showed her face and hid her phone in public. </p><p>She grumbled as her wifi cut in and out on her phone. The campus had the worst wifi at night when everyone was on their devices, trying to play games or run social media of their own. She grabbed her red coat, while putting on her black ballet flats and making her way out of her dorm. Adrien’s words repeated in her head about how she shouldn’t go outside at night and she waved them away. </p><p>“Yeah, whatever. I’m sure it’s not real. Just some students ditching their duties because they want to hang out or party.” Marinette rolled her eyes and took the last steps, holding her phone up into the air and spinning around to try and capture better wifi. </p><p>She cursed under her breath and walked behind the building, finding a good place where the connection was strongest. Marinette gasped when she peered in front of her and saw a mysterious figure in the dark. He was sitting on a bench with a black hoodie on. He had the hood up and over his head, hiding his face from the world. He wore a pair of matching joggers and black converse shoes. </p><p>Marinette raised her eyebrow and stepped closer towards him, taking in how he had his arms wrapped around himself like he was scared or upset. She wanted to know more about him, but she knew that she would never remember him or his name. </p><p>“Hello?” Marinette smiled and the figure didn’t even turn to peer up at her. </p><p>“You know you shouldn’t be out at night. Didn’t anyone tell you about mangeur d'âme?” The figure spoke low and quiet, so that only she could hear him. </p><p>“True. I was told about him, but I have a hard time believing in such things. Seems silly to me that some guy would be wandering around looking that way and eating souls of students.” Marinette rolled her eyes and sat down beside him. “But what do I know, I have a terrible memory. Maybe I got the story wrong.” </p><p>“You seem to remember that story quite well though.” The figure softly laughed. “It’s not safe for you to be out here so late. You should go back to your dorm.” </p><p>“Shouldn’t you go in too?” Marinette gripped the bench and leaned forward to try and see his face, but he turned away more from her. </p><p>“I should, but I was enjoying the night air.” The figure shrugged. “I too am terrible at following advice.” </p><p>“Well, at least that is your only problem. I can’t remember anything and it gets in the way of my studies and life.” Marinette sighed and kicked a rock that was on the ground.</p><p>“We all have our own issues.” The figure shrugged and Marinette sighed.</p><p>“Yeah well, I went too far and made this fake personality, Ladybug, that got famous on <em> Instagram </em>and I can’t go back now. I wish I hadn’t done it, but I’m so scared to let people down. I’m worried that I’ll upset people by forgetting their names or their details they tell me. What if I screw up? It makes me look like a bad friend and person!” Marinette ranted and vented to this stranger. She had no idea why she felt comfortable around him, but she did. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.” </p><p>“Being perfect isn’t easy.” The figure seemed to get more awkward about it as he spoke like he was upset. “You can’t expect someone to be that way, to remember everything. To smile all the time. No one is happy all the time or perfect all the time.”</p><p>Marinette slowly gazed at him, wanting to know who was beneath the hood. “How would you know what that’s like?”</p><p>“My life hasn’t been easy or perfect either. I tried. I can’t be that and now I’m paying for it.” The figure sighed and leaned back against the bench more, continuing to hide his face.</p><p>“Why aren’t you scared of mangeur d'âme? It could come claim our souls any minute, according to people in the school that is.” Marinette played with a strand of her hair as she waited for his answer.</p><p>“There are scarier things to believe in. It’s a legend, not a true tale.” The figure stood up with his back facing her. “I have some advice for you.”</p><p>“What?” Marinette raised her eyebrows at his words.</p><p>“Make an identity reveal using <em> Instagram stickers. </em>” The figure put his hands in his pockets.</p><p>“What do you mean by that?” Marinette was confused as to how to make that happen.</p><p> He turned his head to peer over his shoulder, keeping his face from her view still. “Use your real face. Crop the photo from your nose to your chin and make it a sticker like a mask that people can wear.”</p><p>“Ooh… that’s a great idea.” Marinette thought about how she could make it and use it herself and reveal herself that way. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Tomorrow is the end of the sporting events. Are you going to the ball after that?” The guy waited for her answer. “I was wondering if you would like to be my date to it? I have no one to go with and we seem to both fit well together.” </p><p>“No, I wasn’t planning on going. But I hope that you have fun and get a date for it. Thank you for asking.” Marinette warmly smiled and watched the figure nod.</p><p>“Be careful. You should go inside. It’s late.” The figure walked away, disappearing into the shadows.</p><p>Marinette had no idea who he was and didn’t bother to ask for his name. She knew that she would forget about it all in the morning anyway.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Her phone went off and woke her up. She groaned and reached out of her blanket to slam her hand down on her phone screen. A yawn escaped her lips as she unlocked her phone to read the text message from her best friend, Adrien.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] Morning, Mari! How was your night? We’re all getting ready for the last event. Anyway, you know how there is the ball tonight… I was kind of wondering if you wanted to go with me to it?</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Marinette chewed on her thumbnail and thought about the mysterious figure last night. She had stayed up late making the sticker of half of her face and uploaded it to the platform. Marinette clicked the reply button and bit her bottom lip.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Mari] Morning, Adrien! It was good. I stayed up late working on homework and studying for exams. Oh right! I forgot there was a ball tonight. I hadn’t planned to go.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] Come with me. We can just hang out and dance. I’d love for you to come with me. It’s a mask event. No one will know it’s us. It’ll be fun.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Mari] Alright, I’ll go. I need to get something to wear.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] I got you covered. Check outside your door.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Marinette’s eyes widened and she threw her covers and phone, jumping out of bed and running to her door. She yanked the door open to find a white box with a black bow. Marinette picked it up and brought it inside, rushing back to her room. She put it down on her bed and opened the box, finding a gorgeous intricate crimson satin gown and a matching mask with gold details. </p><p>She picked up her phone and began to text him. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Mari] Adrien… this is too much. What are you wearing?</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] I’ll be in all black with a full face mask. I’ll meet you at the fountain in the center of the school. Don’t be late.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Marinette shook her head and replied to him, before getting up to shower for class. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Mari] You still didn’t need to do this for me. Thank you though.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] It’s senior year… we should go to these things, even if they suck. XD</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Mari] I don’t think it’s gonna suck with you being there.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>[Adrien] I appreciate that, Mari. Now get up and go to class! It’s boring without you!</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Marinette giggled and locked her phone, stepping into the shower. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>***</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Marinette pinned her hair up into a messy bun with tendrils of hair falling on both sides of her face. She stuck a few rose and ladybug hairpins into her hair. It took her a while to get the dark shadows to look how she wanted on her eyelids. She traced her lips in a dark red lip liner and carefully ran a rich red lipstick along her lips. </p><p>She grabbed the skirt of her gown and spun in the mirror, taking it in. She placed her mask over her face, tying the black ribbon behind her head to hold it in place. The gown was too much and it surprised her that her best friend would give her such an extravagant gift. </p><p>Her door opened and Alya stumbled in. “What’s up, girl? Are you ready yet?” </p><p>“Almost. I just need to put on my heels.” Marinette smiled and walked over to sit down in order to put them onto her feet.</p><p>“I seriously can’t believe Adrien splurged on you like this.” Alya touched Marinette’s gown and laughed. </p><p>“I’m surprised too. It’s too much. I know it is.” Marinette blushed and stood up, gazing at her friend in her orange gown and fox themed mask.</p><p>“I mean you look absolutely stunning.” Alya giggled and Marinette sighed. </p><p>“Thanks, Alya. You do too.” Marinette nervously smiled.</p><p>“Do you think mangeur d'âme will be there?” Alya whispered and Marinette scoffed. </p><p>“If the thing hasn’t shown up by now? Why would it be there?” Marinette shrugged and rolled her eyes. </p><p>“More students have gone missing in the last few nights, Marinette. There is bound to be more missing tonight.” Alya cringed and Marinette sighed.</p><p>“Whatever you believe, Als.” Marinette waved her off and left her dorm, heading to the fountain where Adrien said he would meet her.</p><p>Marinette walked through the grass and it took her a while until she reached the fountain. She froze in her tracks as she locked her gaze with Adrien’s back. </p><p>He was standing there in an all black suit, peering up at the stars with his hands in his pocket. The black ribbon was tied around his head to hold his mask on. </p><p>“Adrien?” Marinette called out to him and he slowly turned around to face her. She gasped as she took in his elaborate full face mask. </p><p>It was black with silver swirled details all over it. The holes for him to peer through were slits like cat eyes, and she wondered how he could even see that well through it. </p><p>“How can you see through those tiny slits?” Marinette couldn’t help herself from asking him about it. </p><p>“It’s not that bad.” Adrien softly laughed and walked up to her, removing a hand from a pocket and holding it out towards her. </p><p>Marinette took his hand and he bowed to kiss her knuckles. “Thank you for inviting me tonight. You didn’t have to.” </p><p>“I insist.” Adrien led her towards the ball.</p><p>It was a lavish venue with elegant chandeliers and draped red fabric running from the sides of the room and up to meet the main light fixture. The walls were cream and neoclassical in design and Marinette felt like she was in a dream when he paraded her around himself with a hand behind his back. </p><p>She kept her gaze on his as a cello cover of <em> The Phantom of the Opera </em> began to play. The music echoed off the marble walls and her lips softly parted as he placed his hand gently on her waist. He brought her closer and began to take her into a waltz around the ballroom floor. She got lost in the way he guided her like they were the only two in the room. He suddenly dipped her back, bringing his face close to hers before yanking her back up to go back into a spinning step. He stopped and took her into a waltz step again before spinning her out and back in. </p><p>She gasped when he caught her on his thigh, panting and gazing upon her gorgeous face. </p><p>“Where did you learn how to dance like this?” Marinette licked her lips, before he leaned her back to sweep her across and back up against his chest. </p><p>“My father found it important to learn how to waltz.” Adrien suddenly spun her out and pointed his toe before spinning her back in and catching her.</p><p>“I see. Your father sounds like he keeps you on a tight leash.” Marinette sighed and got lost as he danced her around until the song ended.</p><p>“He likes to make sure I uphold the traditions of our family name. You know him.” Adrien sighed and Marinette nodded.</p><p>“He does. Sometimes I wish he would relax on you a bit.” Marinette sighed and let him take her off to a balcony area to talk. </p><p>“Come on, I want to take a few photos.” Adrien yanked her to a nice spot overlooking a fountain that was away from the crowd. </p><p>“Okay, what photos do you want to do?” Marinette watched him hold out his phone towards her. </p><p>“I don’t want it to look like an ID picture.” Adrien softly laughed and Marinette rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Of course you don’t.” Marinette feigned a gasp with her hand on her chest. “The amazing Adrien Agreste, takes a photo like an ID? How atrocious!” </p><p>“Marinette… stop.” Adrien burst out laughing harder. “I’m serious.” </p><p>“Hang on, let me take off my mask. It’s in the way of me seeing properly.” Marinette pulled the ribbon that was tied behind her head and set her mask down. “That’s better. Okay, Monsieur Model, let’s do this.” </p><p>Adrien softly laughed and began to pose for her with his arm rested on the railing. He put one hand in his pocket and waited for her. </p><p>She walked and shifted to try and get a decent angle. She nearly dropped her phone when the words fell from Adrien. “You know, you look like Ladybug.”</p><p>“What?” Marinette swallowed hard, shocked that he would call her out like that. She turned his phone and noticed that his phone case was the filter that she had made. She grabbed her phone and turned on the front camera, taking his to make the back cover the bottom of her face like the filter. “I- I’m really sorry. No one was supposed to find out. When did you get this? How?” </p><p>“You know I support you and everything you do. I had an old case and decoupaged it with the sticker.” Adrien shrugged with both of his hands in his pocket.</p><p>“But I never told you. I didn’t tell anyone.” Marinette began to panic and tears streamed down her cheeks. She gasped for breath and trembled all over with her arms wrapped around herself. “I’m so sorry. I got scared that my fans would be upset that I couldn’t remember everything about them and so I hid behind this girl that had amnesia and it blew up and before I knew it, it was a giant disaster and I had become this thing and-” </p><p>“Mari,” Adrien took her hands from around herself and removed their phones to set them aside. “I know. I’ve always known it was you.”</p><p>“How?” Marinette was lost for words, peering into his mask. “Can you remove that mask and tell me?” </p><p>Adrien peered down and shook his head. “I can’t do that, but I can tell you that I found out by accident. It was that one time where I was trying to call your attention, but you were busy on your phone. So, I took a peek at your phone and saw that you were using Ladybug’s account. That’s when it all came together and became very obvious. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Marinette sniffed and let more tears fall. </p><p>“I didn’t want you to hate me. Plus, it’s your ‘secret’ to tell and I was respecting that.” Adrien sighed and leaned his back against the railing with the heels of his palms resting on it.</p><p>“Are you disappointed in me? Are you upset about finding out that the girl behind the username doesn’t really have amnesia and is just someone with bad memory retention?” Marinette was panicking that he was going to stop being her friend, but she figured he would have by now if he was going to leave.</p><p>Then a simple word fluttered from her best friend that had her bursting into sobs and gasping for breath. “No.”</p><p>She calmed down and sighed with relief that she wasn’t going to lose the one person that mattered in her life. “I met a guy last night and he was right, telling the truth to someone you trust the most isn’t a bad idea.” Marinette softly giggled and bit her bottom lip. “He even invited me to go to the ball with him as his date, but I declined the offer.” </p><p>Adrien softly laughed and sighed. “Then I guess I should come clean too.” </p><p>Marinette perked up and watched as Adrien reached up to untie the ribbon from the back of his head. His mask slowly fell from his face and he peered up, causing Marinette to cover her lips. But she wasn’t in shock or scared. No, she was upset and sad. Her body trembled and her heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t know what to do. All she knew was that she wanted to hold him, protect him, and never let him go.</p><p>“That guy was actually me.” Adrien swallowed hard and got worried that she would scream and run. That she wouldn’t want to be beside him.</p><p>She cautiously stepped closer towards him and he peered over the side wondering how far down it really was if he just ended it. He swallowed hard and panicked when she reached up to touch his face. Her thumbs skirted beneath his black button eyes and down along the corners of his lips, where they had been stapled into a wide smile. </p><p>“Does it hurt?” Her voice came out trembling as more tears fell down her cheeks, and he finally knew that she wasn’t scared. She was hurting for him.</p><p>“When it first happened it did. I only look like this at night, Marinette. It’s my curse.” Adrien swallowed hard and she sobbed, bringing her forehead to his. </p><p>“Who would do this? Tell me that part of the legend is false.” Marinette ran her hands around to the back of his head and pulled him closer, causing him to wrap his arms around her.</p><p>Adrien shook his head because he didn’t have the heart to tell her. </p><p>“You’re not scared? You’re not afraid because I’m mangeur d'âme? The one that everyone talks about and is afraid of?” Adrien sobbed against her shoulder, gripping her dress in his fists.</p><p>“Never. I can’t be scared of you. You’re my best friend. I want to protect you, to save you, to- to- I don’t know. I’m upset, I’m sad, I’m angry.” Marinette pulled away and brushed her fingers along his cheeks. “How do I fix this?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Adrien swallowed hard. “I’ve tried to fix it. I’ve tried a lot of things and nothing has worked. I could just turn around and jump off this balcony and be done.” </p><p>He turned in her arms to face the railing and she suddenly wrapped hers around him and ran her hands up to his chest, holding him against her body. “No!” </p><p>Adrien swallowed hard, letting more tears fall and gently touched her hands. “Why not?”</p><p>“Because I love you.” Marinette mumbled against his back and sobbed. “I love you so much!” </p><p>Adrien choked on a sob and turned in her arms. “How can you love someone like me?”</p><p>“Because this isn’t who you are. You are a kind, caring, loving, talented, funny, smart, charming, person. You are selfless and your father shouldn’t have done this to you.” Marinette reached up to graze his cheek. “And I have one thing that might work.”</p><p>“What’s that?” Adrien swallowed hard and searched her face.</p><p>“True love’s kiss.” Marinette reached up on her toes and he leaned down, allowing her to kiss him. </p><p>A bright light shot out around them, swirling and coating them within it. Wind picked up the skirt of her dress around her ankles and suddenly stopped. </p><p>Marinette slowly opened her eyes and took in his angelic face. The face that she was so used to seeing everyday. “Adrien?” </p><p>His eyes were clenched tight, worried that he wouldn’t have changed. “What?”</p><p>“You’re back.” Marinette ran her fingers along the corners of his mouth, feeling scars but nothing else. “It’s okay. It’s over.” </p><p>Marinette grabbed his phone and took a selfie to show him. “See?” </p><p>Adrien took his phone and warmly smiled, peering at the photo of them. “You did it.” </p><p>“A little magic never hurt anything. Plus, what breaks a curse more than a true love’s kiss.” Marinette giggled when Adrien suddenly wrapped her up into his arms and swung her around. </p><p>“God, I love you!” Adrien burst out and laughed, pressing kisses all over her face.</p><p>“I love you too.” Marinette giggled and Adrien gathered their masks.</p><p>“C’mon, let’s dance. As you and me. No masks this time.” Adrien smiled and held out his hand to her.</p><p>She nodded and placed her hand in his. She knew she never wanted to let him go again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>THE END</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Song they danced to: </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <a href="https://youtu.be/qpbX7SbXOtU"><b>The Phantom of the Opera- cover by Prague Cello</b> <b>Quartet </b></a>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Songs I wrote to at the end:</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <a href="https://youtu.be/iad-ixZRlK4">
    <b>Glory by Dermot Kennedy</b>
  </a>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <a href="https://youtu.be/oK9wqtAwnoE">
    <b>Lost by Dermot Kennedy</b>
  </a>
</p>
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